The present invention relates to child resistant closures and particularly to a squeeze and turn child resistant closure which has a tamper indicating band on the lower edge of the closure annular skirt which is detached from the closure after first removal of the closure from the container.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the prior art, squeeze and turn child resistant closures are well known. These closures typically require pressure to be applied to the closure skirt in order to deform the closure and overcome child resistant lugs formed on the closure and container which coact with each other when the closure is turned in a counter-clockwise direction. Various embodiments of these type squeeze and turn closures are known. Squeeze and turn closures have not historically come with a tamper indicating band nor with a band which breaks only after overcoming the child resistant feature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,363 issued to Davis teaches a tamper resistant and child resistant container and cap assembly whereby a single shelled closure is provided and which utilizes a squeeze and turn child resistant feature. The single shelled closure is conical in shape and requires a ratchet and pawl construction in order to adequately drive the tamper indicating band over the tamper indicating bead. However, the overall conical shape and design of the closure is undesirable in that increased distance from the lower portion of the closure to the container neck may cause the closure to wobble on the threads of the container making it much more difficult to thread the closure on the container and increase the possibility of mis-aligning the threads. Further, such increased distance must be overcome by increased squeeze pressure to deform the closure over the child resistant lugs on the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,878 to Davis, et al. teaches a child and tamper resistant closure wherein the closure is a double shelled closure and the outer shell of the closure must be deformed in order to unthread the closure from the container. However, the double shell design increases the materials required for manufacturing the closure, increases the mold complexity, and provides a somewhat flimsy feeling closure due to the space between the inner and outer shell of the closure.
None of the prior art closures provide a squeeze and turn threaded single shell closure which has a tamper indicating feature and which is significantly easy to produce, which provides visual cues as to the child resistant feature, which incorporates a tamper indicating feature on the closure and which has a substantially standard screw cap closure appearance.